With Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah celebrating birthdays over the summer season, Aaron Cutler asks how Arne Slot can get essentially the most out of them nicely into their 30s.
Worldwide tournaments are a grind at the perfect of occasions, however Euro 2024 felt like an actual slog.
A soccer ‘pageant’ largely devoid of pleasure, vitality and high quality, it appeared one foray too far for a number of groups and footballers clearly out on their toes.
Ollie Watkins’ good last-gasp winner to ship England to the ultimate marked a uncommon excessive level and seemed destined to change into the enduring picture of the summer season.
In truth, had Gareth Southgate’s males gone on to realize essentially the most unlikely (and arguably undeserved) triumph, that purpose would have been as overplayed as ‘Wonderwall‘. Small mercies.
However because the Aston Villa ahead wheeled away in celebration, behind him stood a desolate Van Dijk – exhausted, exasperated and crushed.
Future planning
As front-foot in interviews as he’s in his defending, the Dutch captain’s post-match feedback after that semi-final have sparked a level of concern amongst Liverpool supporters.
Talking candidly, he mentioned, “I’ll think twice this summer season about what I would like at membership degree and as a world participant. After a season like this, the place all types of issues have occurred, it will get emotional on the finish as a result of it’s over.”
That quote can interpreted in numerous methods.
The mischievous amongst us will declare reference to his ‘membership’ hints at an unsure future, underlined by the dearth of a contract extension.
Most likely, nonetheless, Van Dijk – who turned 33 this month – is contemplating worldwide retirement.
A late and heartbreaking Euros exit will sting and really feel uncooked for weeks to come back. Virgil is skilled sufficient to not make any rash selections, however having additionally described 2023/24 as “a really, very, very lengthy yr, a tricky yr,” he appears like a person coming to phrases along with his personal footballing mortality.
They gained’t say it publicly, however Liverpool will secretly be hoping Sunday marked their captain’s farewell look for his nationwide facet.
That’s as a result of one in every of Arne Slot‘s largest challenges on this, his maiden season, is managing the sport time of two totemic figures.
First names on the staff sheet
The membership have succeeded in bringing the common age of the squad down within the final 18 months. Elder statesmen with tiring legs have departed and arrivals like Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch have introduced new vitality.
But the staff remained closely reliant on Messrs. Van Dijk and Salah final time period, definitely up till the purpose the latter departed for AFCON.
For context, the skipper featured greater than any Liverpool participant throughout all the marketing campaign, mentioning 4,072 minutes in whole – 5,395 if you happen to add worldwide minutes.
And solely 4 gamers noticed extra motion than Salah, who recorded 3,132.
Crucially, each gamers’ recreation time was managed to an extent.
Europa versus Champions League soccer allowed Jurgen Klopp to relaxation the pair of them excess of he’d have been ready to in earlier years. Certainly, Van Dijk solely performed in half of Liverpool’s 10 European ties final time period, beginning three.
Whereas Salah had run-outs in 9 of these, he solely began 4.
Make no mistake, that respite did wonders for the pair of them, notably Van Dijk, who rediscovered his finest type attributable to occasional breaks being constructed into his schedule.
It’s a luxurious we gained’t have subsequent season.
The advantages of rotation
It stays to be seen how Slot approaches home cup competitions, however there will definitely be no room to experiment again at Europe’s prime desk.
Bear in mind too, the altering format of the Champions League, which incorporates additional video games – both sides will play a minimal of eight within the preliminary stage, up from six – will necessitate the managing of minutes.
These are tough conversations, notably for a brand new head coach – or supervisor, as most will revert to calling him. Slot should persuade two Liverpool legends accustomed to beginning all Premier and Champions League video games of the advantages of rotation.
The Dutchman might level to their output between August and February final season as justification, evaluating it to that come the top of the marketing campaign.
With tiring legs, each suffered a drop in type. Although Salah’s was much more pronounced. It’s an enormous reduction realizing he gained’t be collaborating on this summer season’s Olympics.
By the point matchday two of the Champions League group stage rolls round, Liverpool will face every week during which they play Wolves away (Sept 28), a European tie (Oct 1/2), after which journey to Crystal Palace (Oct 5).
Whereas not unimaginable, it’s absolutely unrealistic to assume Van Dijk might begin in all three of these with out impinging on health and/or risking damage.
Matchday three falls between video games towards Chelsea (H) and Arsenal (A), and matchday 4 is sandwiched between tricky-looking match-ups towards Brighton and Aston Villa, albeit each at dwelling.
Come the top of November, the Reds have a 10-day spell during which they’ll face a Champions League tie (Nov 26/27), adopted by Man Metropolis at Anfield (Nov 30), Newcastle at St James’ Park (Dec 4) and what’s positive to be a tempestuous remaining derby at Goodison (Dec 7).
Marathon males for the perfect a part of eight years, Liverpool should negotiate not less than a few of these fixtures with out Van Dijk and Salah.
The identical is true of Andy Robertson, a stalwart who has constructed a popularity for turning defence into assault with lung-busting runs however somebody who can be now on the improper facet of 30.
The damage checklist will show decisive
Rotation itself depends on a number of variables, not least health. Resting star performers is barely attainable when you’ve gotten a comparatively clear invoice of well being, and Liverpool’s damage document final season got here with an 18 certificates.
It’s hoped the appointment of Ruben Peeters as lead bodily efficiency coach will buck that pattern.
Boasting a level in sports activities science, the 32-year-old is a large advocate of what he calls ‘periodisation’, calculating how long and hard to push people in coaching at totally different factors of a season.
Periods at Feyenoord can be primarily based on morning briefings ready by Peeters and run for the exact time he really helpful, not a second extra.
Slot places enormous belief within the Belgian and with good purpose, Feyenoord’s damage document was the envy of the Eredivisie. Over the course of three seasons, participant availability exceeded 90 %.
Against this, solely Spurs had extra first-teamers crocked than Liverpool final time period. It’s little marvel Arne made Peeters one of many first appointments to his backroom staff. He’ll show pivotal to a new-look Liverpool nonetheless reliant on some older faces.
And so, as Van Dijk heads off on an overdue vacation licking his wounds and considering his future, he’ll be contemplating how he goes once more and achieves extra.
Mockingly, doing much less may very well be the reply.
